Just A Friend
by JustYourAverageStudent
Summary: A friend to everyone, I mean everyone, at Pearson Hardman paid a visit one day. What will happen when she meets Mike Ross for the first time? First fic ever! Give it a try?
1. Chapter 1

_Right let's get this over with._ I made my way through Pearson Hardman as quickly as possible. Walking straight into Mr Specter's office I picked up the plain baseball he leaves out sometimes, and threw the ball towards him. "England's most grossing sport in 1995?"

"Soccer."

"You mean football?" _Damn Americans._

"Po-tay-to po-tah-to. To what do I owe the displeasure of you treating my office as if it were your own?"

"Ms Paulsen says I have to visit once every few months and apparently I was overdue."

"Oh and you always do what Donna says?" He smirked. _This man._

"Actually I didn't come to specifically see you I just thought I'd get you out of the way first."

"So Trent Devon believes he's getting a fair deal but. Oh, I'm sorry-" A man with dirty blond hair and slight stubble came bursting into the office.

"Who's the kid?" _Something's up here._

"The kid is the same age as you." He replied as he threw the ball back.

"If he's my age then he's obviously an associate," I started whilst throwing the baseball between my hands, "and due to the fact that only Ms Paulsen, Ms Pearson and myself can walk in here without knocking must mean he's your associate. Now here's my problem, Pearson Hardman only hires from Harvard but he wasn't in my class. What's his talent?"

"Eidetic memory."

"Excuse me Sir what's on page 69 of the Barbary handbook?" I asked the blond.

"Civil liability associated with agency is based on several factors including the deviation of the agent from his path of reasonable inference of agency on behalf of the plaintiff and the nature of the damages themselves." He replied without missing a heartbeat.

"69? Really?" Mr Specter said with a roll of his eyes.

"Yes really." I turned to the other man in the room and asked "What was the first thing you learnt in law school?"

"Uh, well, it was-" _My hunch was right, as always._

"So he didn't go to any law school?"

"No."

"Where did you find him?"

"My interviews, he was hiding from the police."

"Drugs?"

"Briefcase full of pot."

"Does Ms Pearson know?" I question. Mr Specter was looking very disinterested at this point whilst the younger man was tugging at his tie.

"Yes."

"Then I would like to take this opportunity to take you up on your job offer." Mr Specter was suddenly very interested in what I had to say again.

"I ask you to every time I see you, why now?"

"Well people like Mr..."

"Oh, Mike Ross." He cut looking a bit lost yet still managing to hold out his hand.

"Nice to meet you Mr Ross, Adele James." I said shaking his hand. "People like Mr Ross and I have to stick together."

"People like us?" Mr Ross asked confused.

"Mike, name a book you had to read in high school." Mr Specter asked getting up from his chair and rounding the desk.

"To Kill a Mockingbird." I nodded to Mr Specter then sat in his chair resuming passing the ball back and forth between my hands and idling swivelling side to side in a chair that most likely cost as much if not more than my bed.

"Now tell me Mike, how did Atticus Finch end his closing statement?" He asked.

"'I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system - that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen-"

"'Gentlemen, court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.'" I recited throwing the ball to Mr Ross with a flourish, which he unsurprisingly dropped after it hit him square in the chest.

Whilst Mr Ross scrambled on the floor to try and retrieve the ball myself and Mr Specter carried on with our conversation.

"What do you want?" I picked up the signed baseball on the right side of the desk tossing that in the air.

"This baseball, a desk next to Mr Ross', to stay in your apartment whilst I have wait to move into my new one and anything else when I come up with it."

"1 week."

"2 weeks."

"10 days."

"3 weeks."

Mr Specter and I had a silent argument and after I raised an eyebrow showing that II was clearly not messing around Mr Specter admitted defeat, for now. _Every time, _she thought _he's making it too easy now._

"Fine, 2 weeks. But not a minute longer." He said whilst snatching the now retrieved baseball from Mr Ross' hands.

"I'll go tell Ms Pearson the good news."

* * *

"What the hell was that?!"

"That was your new babysitter." Adele always new how to make a memorable first impression on people.

"She knows my dirty little secret Harvey! What if-"

"Do you really think I would willingly tell her if I thought she would then go on tell everyone? Like I've said a million times, it's not just your job on the line here." _You'd think even without the eidetic memory he would remember that._

"So are you having another associate? I thought you hated the idea of one until you found this diamond in the rough?" Mike replied with a smirk lounging on my couch completely at ease now he knew he wasn't at risk of losing everything.

"I still do. But compared to you Adele is a 24 karat gold ring whilst you're a Haribo gummy ring." That wiped the smirk off his face.

"Well if she's so good, why isn't she already working for you?"

Opening my laptop to get Adele's contract started I replied "Because she didn't want to."

"You're kidding?" _Oh, how I wish I were._

"No. Something about being too good for this place. Now, don't you have some big finding that was important enough for you to barge into my office, again?"

* * *

This find could not have come at a better time. I'd just finished my second theorem so I've had a considerable amount of free time on my hands so a new job will do just the trick. Plus, I'd began to miss everyone from Harvard. After a brief word with her assistant to check whether she was available I knocked on Ms Pearson's door.

"Come in." She called without looking up from the file she was currently reading. I walked through the threshold of her open door and sat in my usual seat on the left side of the sofa, kicking off my heels and tucking my feet under myself.

"How's my favourite Brit?" Ms Pearson asked finally looking up from her work.

"I'm well thank you. Yourself?"

"Considering you've caught me after a long week, I'm thankful it's Friday." She replied as she joined me on the sofa. "Donna force you into another visit?" She asked with a raised eyebrow perfectly sculpted to complement her round eyes, which makes her extremely persuasive. Useful in her line of work I think.

"Ms Paulsen did say I was due a visit but I was planning one anyway. I met Mr Ross though. Which is why I decided to accept Mr Specter's job proposal."

"Because of the kid?" she asked with her right eyebrow joining her left.

"Yes. I bet all the other associated are wary of him, not only for his memory, but for the fact that they can't remember him from Harvard. Also I bet he can't complete the basic form filling or the procedures to file a subpoena without help. So with me here I can back him up with the other associates saying that I knew him in law school and help him with the basics."

"But what's in it for you?" She asked crossing her legs at her ankles. She always told me a lady never crosses a leg over your knee in public.

"Now Ms Pearson you know that's not how I work. Also I just finished a big theorem and am in need of a change of scene."

"Yes, I heard about that. Congratulations. Although, the Banter Theorem? Where did that come from?" She asked a slight smirk on her face.

"My old school friends from the UK were always doing stupid things justifying it by saying they did it 'for the banter' so I decided to name my theorem that 'for the banter.' Their faces were priceless when I told them."

"Well, I'll be looking forward to the day you start Adele. We were in need of a female to whip the other associated into shape."

My next stop was the bullpen, my work space come Monday. There were only a few people in there Mr Ross being the only one that I recognised, well his was the only hair that I recognised. As I approached I could see that he was hunched over a file highlighting a paragraph and annotating it. I tapped him on his should and his head snapped up with the glassy look leaving his eyes as he recognised me.

"Oh, hey Adele."

"Mr Ross, I see the desk next to you is free already."

"Yeah, a fifth year associate was upgraded to an office."

"Adele?" My head snapped around at the mention of my name.

"Durant!" I said running into to his outstretched arms.

"I had a feeling you'd be by soon. Please tell me it was to take a job here." He said as he pulled back from my hug.

"It is actually, I start Monday."

"That's fantastic. The desk next to mine will be free then-"

"I'm actually on the desk next to Mr Ross."

"Ross? How come?"

"Because I always said in law school that if we both end up at the same law firm I'd work next to him. Right Mr Ross?" I turned raising an eyebrow to prompt him.

"That you did." He managed to get out surprisingly smoothly.

"Well, we'll have to catch up over the weekend," I said turning back to Mr Durant, "the usual coffee shop by yours?"

"Sure, give me a text tomorrow. I'll see you then."

"Yeah, see you then." He walked in the direction of Mr Litt's office throwing a wary glance at Mr Ross. "Come with me." I said in Mr Ross' general direction heading to talk with a certain Senior Partner.


	2. Chapter 2

After staring after Adele for a second too long I quickly stood to catch up with her. She breezed into Harvey's office so I followed not bothering to knock.

"Two times in one visit? What have I done to deserve this honour?" Harvey smirked. Why was that so special?

"I believe Mr Ross has some questions for us." Adele said perching herself on the edge of Harvey's desk.

"Please call me Mi-"

"Don't even try. She never will. Some British thing." Harvey cut in, eyes not leaving Adele yet clearly that was aimed at me.

"You know it isn't. It's just me. But he's right, I only call people by their surnames."

"Okay then, I'll call you Miss James." I replied taking my usual spot on the couch. Seriously, it was so comfortable.

"C'mon Mike. Some of us actually have work to do you know."

"Right sorry. How do you know each other?" That had been bugging me since I first met her. Virtually no one talks to Harvey like she does.

"Well if you had actually attended Harvard instead of selling pot you would know this already." Harvey said typing something on his laptop, bored with this conversation by the looks of things.

"Hey that was a onetime thing and I didn't even make the trade."

"During my second year at Harvard I had a new Professor for contract law,"

"And Jessica thought that me teaching for a whole year would be an insightful way to waste a year of my life." Harvey finished.

"You, teaching? Don't you have to care to do that sort of thing?" I asked.

"You've obviously never been in one of his lectures then." Adele, Miss James, mumbled.

"You loved my lectures, especially the first." Harvey smirked and Miss James groaned.

"Am I missing something?" I asked, what is going on between these two.

"Our first ever lecture with him he was so convinced Ms Pearson was doing this as a joke he decided to do a 'Harvey Specter 101' telling us everything from his first home down to his coffee order-"

Harvey cut in with "And you liked me so much you remembered every detail."

"Eidetic memory." Miss James and I replied together. I'm used to it when Harvey says it's sweet that I can remember his coffee order.

"That's what they all say, you guys are just in love with me." Harvey said with that damn smirk still in place.

"Believe me Harvey if I had the option to forget about your first crush, I would." Miss James shot back. Oh no she didn't!

"Oh please, that wasn't in the lecture." Harvey shot back with s defensive look.

Miss James smirked as she replied "Doesn't mean you never mentioned it. How is Glenda?"

"Glenda? ...Glenda? Sounds like a keeper Harvey." _Ooh, this was invaluable information._

"Hey, her name was not a reflection of her appearance. Next question." He shot at me.

Thinking it wise if I didn't annoy him further, he is still my boss, I ask Miss James "What job do you have now?"

"Well I work as an adviser at Harvard Med whilst I completed my research. I just recently finished a new theorem on the mathematics of cognitive functions, pretty interesting stuff. But with having finished it there's no reason for me to stay on as an adviser."

"Wait a minute, not only did you study at Harvard Law, you studied at Harvard Med?"

"Yeah, after I did advanced math at Columbia." She answered whilst walking over to Harvey's record collection showing a fond smile whilst finding certain records. "You shouldn't be too impressed, you could have easily done the same." And she was right. Yet I wasted the better part of 15 years in a cloud of haze due to the amount of weed in my system. If it wasn't for Harvey I would have been stuck in that life struggling to get by. "So, whilst I'm here I'll be applying maths to the cases which makes handling them much easier. Correct?" She asked Harvey.

"You can do whatever you like. Now, if you're both done gossiping Mike has work to do."

"Right, I'll see you on Monday Miss James."

"Until then Mr Ross." She smiled.

* * *

"If I had known hiring a puppy would have got you to take my offer I would have done it a long time ago." It was strange how she suddenly took me up on it. Adele was always very vague as to why she wouldn't work here.

"He needs someone who the associates trust to back him up and let's admit it, I was the most popular person at Harvard." She said selecting a record from my collection and walking across the room to the player. I couldn't tell which record she had chosen yet.

"That's because they all wanted to get in your pants." She ignored this comment as she placed the needle on the record and I immediately knew which record was playing.

"_You never miss your well, 'till your well run dry.  
Seemed like only yesterday you were here, smiling  
Now you've gone away, but I know you're in a better place  
No traces of you, what can I do, alone and confused..."_

She settled in on the couch so I left her alone to her thoughts whilst I sent an e-mail. Once I finished it I stood to join her.

"Care to tell me what's wrong?" I asked angling myself so I was facing her.

"Maybe another time." She answered finally looking at me. "How've you been?" The one thing I loved about talking to Adele was that no matter who she was talking to she always kept eye contact showing that no matter what someone was saying, she was giving them her undivided attention. Which is why people found her so trust worthy. She had so many people asking her advice or turning to her when they needed someone to talk to during her time at Harvard, which was why she was so popular.

"I've been better." I was no exception and had trusted her with many details of my life since I've known her.

"Where's Ms Paulsen?" She asked with almost a worried look on her face.

"Just out to lunch, she'll be back soon. More importantly, how have you been? I haven't seen you in quite a while." Which was extremely unusual. Granted she had been working on a theorem but it had been 3 months compared to the usual 4 week mark.

"I was being a huge social recluse during my theorem. Terry even broke up with me over it."

"Dick. I never liked him." That brought a smile to her face.

"I'm glad. Can I hang out here for a while please?"

"For as long as you want."

* * *

It felt good to be back with Mr Specter like this. I needed a sense of normality since Terry finished with me which was the reason I paid a visit. It's not like I hadn't seen it coming, he was an inch taller than myself, very muscular due to the amount of baseball he played, very tanned and absolutely gorgeous. But, he wasn't the sharpest tool in the box. I was starting to tell that he wasn't with me because of my looks, I always assumed he was way out of my league. I'm not at all beautiful and hardly wear make-up. I have long brown hair that reaches mid length on my back with matching brown eyes, which were difficult to make out behind my thick rimmed glasses and I constantly looked ill when I stood next to Terry due to how pale my skin was.

To be honest we were only really dating and after I had helped him on his dissertation the dates got less and less by which time I started my theorem. It shouldn't have shocked me when he told me he was with someone else yet I still haven't gotten over it. It was the closest thing to a relationship I'd ever had. Therefore I was constantly doubting whether I could be seen as anything more than a friend or a confidant. But then there was that time, in Law school when Mr Specter had asked me out. I know it sounds crazy so I respectfully declined knowing it was out of pity, and the fact that it never got awkward between us reiterated that point.

However I didn't have time to dwell on my pathetic love life as a certain red head burst into the office.

"Does nobody know how to knock anymore?" The owner of said office asked yet both I and the red head ignored him in favour of sharing a hug.

"Where on earth have you been?" Ms Paulsen asked pulling away and examining my face.

"I shall tell you tomorrow when I take you out to lunch to celebrate my new job." Her eyebrows twitched as I revealed something she wasn't privy to.

"About time! Why wasn't I told sooner?" Ms Paulsen looked past me expectantly at Mr Specter.

"Because you decided to take a long lunch." I checked my watch as he said this realising I'd spent more time day dreaming on the sofa than I planned.

"I'm sorry I have to leave you both, Ms Paulsen I shall see you tomorrow at our usual place and Mr Specter I'll be over with my things later tonight."


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry about the incredibly long wait...things have been crazy and I had writers block for an extended period of time

Please review, follow or favourite if you're enjoying this and think I should continue...

It was around 8 o'clock when I heard a knock at my door. Placing the TV remote on the coffee table I made my way to the door via the kitchen. Behind the door was a weary looking Adele with a duffle bag.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Adele had changed out of her earlier attire and was now wearing sweats and a t-shirt with her hair pulled into a haphazard pony tail donning her ever present glasses.

"Charming as ever Mr Specter." She smiled as I took her bag.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you were a sucker for chivalry." I lied. How could I forget? She's British, it's like their law or something.

"Yes well, it's true what they say. Chivalry is dead. At least in America anyway." I stepped aside and followed her into the kitchen setting her bag on the floor.

"Which is good news for me, less competition. This all you're packing?" I asked motioning to the bag, "Because if that's the case you're every man's dream."

"Haha, well then I'm afraid I'm not," she said looking down at her twiddling thumbs, she cannot take the slightest compliment at all, "I have a suitcase and a box coming tomorrow. This was all I could at the moment. May I have a cup of tea please?" She asked no able to look at me given the change in topic.

"Really? I thought you said it tasted horrible in America?" I questioned moving to boil the kettle anyway.

"Well that's because it's usually made with hard water but you don't have that here so this is about the only place I'll have a cup. Plus I'm in need of some nostalgia." Though she was looking at me she had a distant look in her eyes so I added a second mug deciding to try and find out what was on her mind over tea.

"Nostalgia? Missing home?" She moved to take her shoes off setting them down next to her bag then she perched herself on the closest bar stool.

"Kind of. I mean, I visited last month so it's not like I haven't seen everyone in a while it's just, I always assumed I'd be doing great things by the time I was this age. Yet all I've managed so far are two measly theorems." Even though she was down-beat, she remained looking at me, willing for me to understand.

"Adele, those theorems are going to change the lives of a lot of people. I know you're a perfectionist but you have plenty of time to change the world and there's no doubt in my mind that if anyone is going to come up with a solution to the recession or a cure for cancer it's going to be you. Now stop beating yourself up and drink your tea." She smiled as I placed the steaming mug in front of her.

"You think awfully high of me Mr Specter, thank you." She sipped her tea and let out a satisfying sigh whilst closing her eyes. "You know how I like my tea better than I do."

"Come on, I bought the new James Bond movie and I've been dying to watch it."

"Okay, is it just me or was that all very predictable?" I said as the ending credits rolled up. I only ever watch films with Mr Specter as, like me, he hates it when people ask questions through a film. I lifted my head off his chest and moved to put away the mugs.

"That was definitely worse than the others. You Brits can't be good all the time." He replied smugly with his elbows leaning on his knees.

"What did I say about bringing in nationality into debates?"

"That I should do it because it's a valid point?" He asked me as I returned from the kitchen arm stretched across the back of the sofa. I just gave him a look as I resumed my place on the couch as he turned on the spot to face me with his left arm remaining on the back of the sofa.

"So, anything I need to know before Monday?" I asked tucking my feet under myself, much like I did in Jessica's office. Mr Specter's expression changed to a more serious one.

"So long as you come ready to work you should be fine."

"Hey, everything okay?" I asked resting my head on my forearm.

"Just work has been a little intense for me recently. Did you hear about the suit against me?"

"Ms Paulsen may have mentioned it. I don't believe for a second that you would have buried anything." Mr Specter was the most scrupulous man I had ever met. He doesn't enjoy crossing the line or going against the system, it doesn't feel like a win for him that way.

"Unfortunately some people don't share your belief in me."

"Well they would be wrong wouldn't they? Listen, you're better than that Tanner guy. He felt that by taking you on he could feel good about himself. But, he failed to notice just how good you are. They don't call you the best for nothing." He was smiling now.

"Oh Adele, you always know how to make me feel better." He replied with his smile reaching up to his eyes.

I replicated his smile answering "Likewise."

"That reminds me, you feeling okay about the Terry thing?" He asked face serious again.

"Yeah, I mean who was I kidding, he's gorgeous and I look like I've just come out of a hospital after being there for months." I said referring to my pale skin.

"Hey, you have to stop putting yourself down. You're much more beautiful than you give yourself credit for." The tips of my ears suddenly felt as if they were on fire. Damn him and his sweet words. "C'mere." He said wrapping his arms around me so I scooted closer and rested my head on his chest, adjusting so that my glasses weren't sticking into him.

"Don't be daft and flattery will get you nowhere Mr Specter." He must have realised by now that I know when he says thing like that he's simply feeling sorry for me. "But if you happen to know someone who genuinely thinks that, point him in my direction."

"I could find many a man that would throw themselves at you if you gave them the chance." His heart was a steady reassurance under my ear yet I struggled to understand him. But I decided to let it go for now. I wasn't about to upset my host on the first night of my stay. So I laid there in silence closing my eyes and listening to the steady heartbeat underneath me.

Her breathing evened out after about 5 minutes but I stayed where I was not wanting to disturb her. Her sleeping pattern always goes to shit during a theorem and I'm guessing she still hasn't fully caught up on her sleep yet. Although sleeping with her glasses on can't be comfortable so I wedged them away from the side of her head and my chest.

If Jessica ever heard me say this she would send me back but, that teaching job was one of the best things to ever happen to me. Before that I only cared about winning, I didn't even care if the person I was representing was guilty. I was the most unscrupulous person out there, well, after Cameron Dennis obviously. Adele believes that I always took the moral high road but, I knew that I would be prepared to do anything to win, I just hadn't been put in that sort of situation.

When I turned up for my first day I was early, of course, and was settling into the lecture theatre. It was about three weeks into the start of term and I was taking over from a previous lecturer. Around the middle of the rows of seats there was a girl sat next to a boy both of which were looking at the contents of what seemed to be the text book. I just assumed that the pretty girl needed some help understanding something so I thought I might as well step in, I mean that is what I'm here for.

"Can I help you Miss?" I called out which seemed to startle the pair.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise you were here yet. We'll be done way before your lecture starts." She explained.

"I'm sure you'll be done a lot faster if I can help you Miss…"

"Oh, Adele James. I was just explaining precedent to Jordan here."

"Do you think you could do a better job than me then?" I challenged.

She simply stood and started to make her way over to me whilst saying; "_In common law legal systems, a precedent or authority is a principle or rule established in a previous legal case that is either binding on or persuasive for a court or other tribunal when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts. Black's Law Dictionary defines "precedent" as a "rule of law established for the first time by a court for a particular type of case and thereafter referred to in deciding similar cases."_

_Stare decis is a legal principle by which judges are obliged to respect the precedent established by prior decisions. The words originate from the phrasing of the principle in the Latin maxim Stare decisis et non quieta movere: "to stand by decisions and not disturb the undisturbed." In a legal context, this is understood to mean that courts should generally abide by precedent and not disturb settled matters. _

_There are different types of precedent, verticality being one. Generally, a common law court system has trial courts, intermediate appellate courts and a supreme courts. The inferior courts conduct almost all trial proceedings. The inferior courts are bound to obey precedent established by the appellate court for their jurisdiction, and all supreme court precedent…_Need I go on?"

Right then in that moment as she was standing a foot or two away from me that she was the most extraordinary person I would ever meet.


End file.
